Commission must press ahead with bold climate action – Friends of the Earth

Research published today by the European Commission on the impact of cutting more of Europe’s climate-changing emissions by 2020 has been welcomed by Friends of the Earth Europe. The environment group warned however that the EU must further increase its ambition to a 40% reduction in domestic greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 and avoid reliance on carbon trading as the solution to the climate crisis.

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The European Commission document published today
recognises that
CO2 reductions of between 25% and 40% are needed by 2020 to give a
reasonable
chance of stabilising global temperatures at safe levels.

So far Europe's leaders have refused to increase
their
inadequate emissions reduction target of 20% by 2020 despite
overwhelming scientific
evidence and international pressure. In publishing this research, the
Commission has made a bold contribution to increasing Europe's ambition
and
could go some way to unlocking the stalled international climate
negotiations.

Friends of the Earth Europe believes the EU must
now adopt a
binding domestic target of 40% cuts by 2020, and set annual reduction
targets
backed by tough infringement proceedings.

David Heller, climate justice and energy
campaigner with
Friends of the Earth Europe, said: “Connie Hedegaard has taken a
cautious first
step, but has fallen short of a clear call to increase EU emission cuts
by 2020.
If a 30% target is agreed we’ll be closer to the crucial 40% figure
that should
give us a better chance of keeping global warming below 2 degrees. A
40%
reduction is not only possible, but affordable and necessary. The EU
governments must stand up to vested interests and make a clear call for
an
increase in EU targets. In particular, cuts must be made domestically,
rather
than through offsetting schemes such as the Clean Development
Mechanism, which
do nothing to reduce emissions or create jobs within Europe.”

The widely leaked Commission communication has
already come
under fire from industry groups which are portraying higher CO2 targets
as a
threat to competitiveness – despite the proven investment and job
opportunities
of boosting renewable growth.

The level of ambition in the communication has
also been
challenged by other commissioners acting in alignment with their
national
governments.

In reality the collapse of Eastern European
industry since
1990 and the recent slow-down in European manufacturing mean the
current 20%
target is little more than a business-as-usual decrease in emissions.
Combined
with the free hand-out of emission allowances and uncontrolled access
to international
carbon credits, there is a real risk that no meaningful emissions cuts
will be
made in the next ten years.

Friends of the Earth Europe campaigns for sustainable and just societies and for the protection of the environment, unites more than 30 national organisations with thousands of local groups and is part of the world's largest grassroots environmental network, Friends of the Earth International.